STEAMBOAT PIONEER DIES IN CALIFORNIA

James A. BROBECK, 93, passed away on January 1 in Los Angeles after a brief illness. Since the death of his wife in 1972, Mr. BROBECK had made his home with his daughter, Martha, in New Jersey, but had recently returned to California for the winter months.

James Alexander BROBECK was born in Trinidad, Colorado, on October 9, 1881. He was the youngest of seven children, four of whom survived infancy. A sister, Lucy BASHOR, and a brother, Edwin, already lived in Steamboat when Jim and his mother moved here in 1894.

Jim attended the local schools and was one of three in the first graduating class from the Steamboat Springs High School. The other two: Mary Crawford (King), daughter of the founder of Steamboat Springs, and Marie NEISZ (Kemmer), daughter of the principal and only teacher in the high school. Graduation exercises were held in the Congregational Church, where Jim was valedictorian and each graduate gave an oration.

James Alexander BROBECK had been merchandising ever since he did any kind of work. He was selling agent or merchandise broker for a number of firms, representing a large territory. He started selling for the J. S. Brown company in 1911, and also represented the Armour line for 25 years.

He started out as clerk in the Hugus store and became manager, working for the firm in Steamboat Springs, Wolcott and Rawlins, Wyoming, staying with the firm for 10 years. It was while he was in Rawlins that he met Ella JOHNSON, who became Mrs. BROBECK in 1910. She was a school teacher there, coming from her home in Wisconsin. Mrs. BROBECK was one of the best informed persons in Routt County on the growth and culture of flowers and shrubs.

The young couple were married in Rawlins on June 8, 1910, and took a ten day honeymoon to Steamboat, driving a team with a small wagon. Most of the time in Steamboat the newlyweds camped at the Bashor ranch on Burgess Creek.

After their marriage they came to Steamboat Springs where Mr. BROBECK started his commission sales business. His mother made her home with her son, Jim, until her death in 1923. His brother Ed had preceded them, also a sister, Mrs. Lucy BASHOR. Jim went to the grad school in Steamboat Springs and was one of the three in the first class to be graduated from the Steamboat Springs high school in 1901. The other two were Mrs. Walter Kemmer (Marie NIESZ) and the late Mrs. Elmer King (Mary Crawford).

Jim BROBECK recalled that when he came to Steamboat Springs there was not a building in the main business block of the town. The square had been reserved by the town company for the court house square and was to be a civic center. Later lots were sold and buildings erected. There were three houses on Crawford hill and two in Crawford addition.

The main Hugus store was near the old court house. The frame building which used to be on the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Ninth Stret which Mr. BROBECK owned was the location of the Milner bank. It was one of the few remaining old-style structures on the business street.

Mr. BROBECK was an active member of the Congregational church and superintendent of the Sunday school for 27 years. He was interested in the promulgation of Evangelical Christianity. The welfare of the church had been one of his personal activities.

His spiritual concerns reached beyond local activities to membership in such national organizations as the Gideons, and to generous support of foreign missions worldwide. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and travel, and maintained a love for reading and music until his final illness.

He was a member of the Commercial club and the Steamboat Gun club. He liked to fish and take trips into the mountains. Music was his hobby. His three children are all musicians.

The elder son, John, went to Yale where he had a four-year scholarship in the medical school. John specialized in neurology.

The second son, David, graduated from Northwestern Medical school in Chicago. The daughter, Martha, graduated from the Northwest hospital in Chicago as a nurse. The children were all born in Steamboat Springs and after finishing high school they were graduated from Wheaton college in Illinois before taking up their specialized studies.

Mr. and Mrs. BROBECK took frequent trips to California, spending part of the winters there. The BROBECKS built four residences in Steamboat Springs. All were later sold.

Mr. and Mrs. BROBECK were keenly interested in athletics and in the welfare of the school band.

In 1940 the editor of the Pilot, Charlie Leckenby, who knew Jim BROBECK since his early school days, classed him as at least close to citizen No. 1, saying that in more than four decades of local history there had never been a main civic enterprise or a worthy charity that had not had moral and financial support from Jim.

In 1948 the BROBECKs moved to Ft. Collins, and in 1952 to Yucaipa, California. A move to Sherman Oaks in 1963 brought them closer to their son, David, a physician in Los Angeles. Their last years were spent at the Alliance Center in Glendale, California, where they had the joy of celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary on June 8, 1970.

Mr. BROBECK was one of the last of the early Steamboat families and maintained an interest in and a love for Northwestern Colorado all his life. Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Dorothy. He is survived by two sons, Dr. John BROBECK of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Dr. David BROBECK, of Los Angeles, a daughter, Martha GROSSER, of Midland Park, New Jersey, twelve grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. Private graveside services were held on January 3 in Inglewood, California.

(Published in The Steamboat Pilot (Steamboat Springs, CO), January 16, 1975.)